Rune Spreads

Spreads

In order to do rune spreads you'll need your runes and a piece of cloth as your field (symbolic of the world). The cloth can be of any color, and of any size you choose. I keep my runes in a bag of purple velvet and use a purple and green tartan patterned piece of fabric as my field. I always try to meditate silently for a few minutes in order to center and ground.

Odin's Rune

Draw one rune from the bag to get an overview of a situation. This spread is especially helpful in stressful situations or when your time is limited. It can also be used to honor special days in your life, such as anniversaries, birthdays, solstices, etc.

Three Rune Spread

Keeping a particular issue in your mind, select three runes from your bag and lay them out on the field from right to left. Place them blank side up and then turn them over. You'll read the spread from right to left. The first rune represents the Overview of the situation, the second (middle) rune represents the Challenge, the third rune represents the Action to be taken. Consult your rune book (or the rune descriptions on this site) for the interpretation.

Five Rune Spread

This spread is useful for more complex situations. Again, begin by focusing on the issue at heart and draw five stones from the bag, and place them on the field one below the other. In descending order (from top to bottom) the runes represent the following:

Overview of the Situation

Challenge

Course of Action Called for

Sacrifice

New Situation Evolving

{Note: in this particular spread the term "sacrifice" holds more a meaning of peeling away, shedding, or discarding as opposed to pain and/or loss.}

Runic Cross

Pick six runes from your bag and lay them down on the field in the shape of a cross. First lay down the rune on the right -- this represents the Past. Then lay down the rune in the middle towards the bottom -- this represents You Now. Then lay down the rune opposite to the first rune on the left of the cross -- this represents the Future. Then lay down below the second rune the fourth rune (bottom of the cross) -- this represents the Foundation. Then lay down the fifth run (above the second towards the middle of the top part of the cross) -- this represents the Challenge. Then lay down the sixth rune above the fifth rune (top of the cross) -- this represents the New Situation. {Note: see drawing below.}

Three Lifetimes Spread

If you are interested in reincarnation, then this is an interesting spread to try out. The runes are laid out in the same form as Inguz, the Rune of Fertility. The representations are as follows (see diagram below):

Rune #1 -- Birth and Childhood
Rune #2 -- the Present
Rune #3 -- Future in this Life
Rune #4 -- Past Incarnation
Rune #5 -- Future Incarnation

This spread can inform you of unresolved issues in your past. Once these issues are resolved in the present, you then change the future of your current life and the next to come.

For more spreads and other methods of using the Runes, you can always consult other rune resources. {I'll be adding one more here, but it will take some time to put together *smile*.}